Have you ever played Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal? Remember the Ice Path? Everyone remembers the Ice Path. Well, Active Neurons 3 – Wonders of the World is essentially Ice Path the video game. The entire game is centered around sliding your block that you control around a puzzle and reaching the end. It seems like quite the simple concept, but just like the aforementioned Ice Path, and much like other puzzle games, Portal or The Turing Test for instance, it is very easy to start overthinking exactly what needs to be done.

As mentioned above, the game is centered around moving a block along what is essentially an ice path, using barriers to your advantage to find your path to the end. The gameplay is simple, the design is simple, and the colours are simple. Really, outside of how the main premise works, there isn’t a huge amount to talk about at the end of the day. As you progress through the puzzles, more options on what’s needed to complete puzzles comes into play. These range from pushable blocks, to needing to destroy red blocks with said pushable blocks, and even needing to switch control between two blocks to help yourself progress.

To add to the very basic colour scheme, basically black and white, with some red to indicate blocks you can’t touch, and green to indicate ones you can, the music is just as basic. I understand why fully, this game is not meant to be a pinnacle of graphic design, Active Neurons 3 is instead meant to be a brain tester. A game you sit down and play for ten to fifteen minutes a day minimum and help to build your cognition. If you struggle with problem solving, if you like puzzles, or if you just like to keep your brain active, Active Neurons 3 should be right up your alley. If you’re looking for something in depth and interesting, well, you wouldn’t buy Brain Training for a The Last of Us style of story mode would you?

 

Graphics: 5.0 Graphically, Active Neurons 3 has nothing to boast about. It’s not bad and what is there looks good, but there just isn’t really much there.	Gameplay: 8.0 As a method for keeping your brain active, this does exactly what you could want from it.
Sound: 3.0 Active Neurons 3 has a very basic sound design, so basic to the extent that it’s practically none existent. While the game is mostly focused on training the brain, there is science to show that music can help stimulate the brain. Something to keep in mind for future titles.	Fun Factor: 6.0 You know what you’re getting into with Active Neurons 3, as such it’s good for what it is. Nothing extra to stimulate the brain like backgrounds, or music. A very basically designed game.
Final Verdict: 6.0

Active Neurons 3 – Wonders of the World is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, and Mobile.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

A copy of Active Neurons 3 – Wonders of the World was provided by the publisher.